The Bahamas has appointed the first-ever woman director of co-operative societies in the movement’s 45 year-existence.

Cheryl Bowe-Moss, a 39-year veteran of co-operative societies, was preceded in her post by three men. She was first exposed to the movement by her father, Peter Maxwell Bowe, a founding member and management committee member of the first consumer cooperative food store in The Bahamas, which was located in Culmersville.

Ms Bowe-Moss joined the Department of Co-operatives in January 1981 to serve as the co-operative officer with responsibilities for credit unions. After leaving the Department, she held positions on the supervisory committee of both The Grand Bahama Co-operative Credit Union (1982–1983) and the Teachers and Salaried Workers Co-operative Credit Union.

She has served on the board of directors of the Teachers and Salaried Workers Co-operative Credit Union from 1990 to the present day. She holds the distinction of being the first female chairman of the Teachers and Salaried Workers Co-operative Credit Union Limited (2009–2010).

Ms Bowe-Moss served as The Bahamas Co-operative League’s president from 2007 to May 2014, having served on its supervisory committee and the board of directors. She also represented the movement on the advisory committee for co-operatives to the government, and helped to craft the Credit Union Bill 2015.

In 2008, she was elected to the board of directors of the Caribbean Confederation of Credit Unions for an initial three-year term (2008–2011). During her tenure, she served as secretary to the board and vice-president. She was re-elected to the board from 2011 to 2014, and served in the capacity of vice-president of the Confederation.